All westbound and eastbound express lanes of Highway 401 have been reopened at Allen Road following a fatal tractor-trailer fire in Toronto’s west end early Monday morning.
Toronto Fire said they received a call around 5:15 a.m. of a fire on Highway 401 involving a transport truck and a flatbed tractor-trailer.
When fire crews arrived on scene, they located the tractor-trailer fully engulfed in flames.
Toronto EMS confirms the driver of the flatbed was pronounced dead at the scene. The driver of the transport truck suffered minor injuries.
Ontario Provincial Police said the transport truck, which was carrying flammable material believed to be paint thinner, was parked on the shoulder of the eastbound express lane when it was struck from behind by the flatbed tractor-trailer.
The flatbed then collided into the guard-rail and burst into flames. The vehicle was carrying a chalk-like substance which ended up strewn all over the highway.
WATCH: 1 dead in fiery crash on eastbound Highway 401 in Toronto. Mark Carcasole reports.
The fire was under control around 5:31 a.m. but forced the closure of the eastbound express and collector lanes at Allen Road and the westbound express lanes at Yonge Street of Highway 401.
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The eastbound collector lanes were reopened just before 9 a.m.
OPP Const. Lauren Ball said a light standard was also struck in the crash, which may have added to the extended closures while workers determined whether it needed to be repaired or replaced.
“It unfortunately caused huge delays. We had to shut it down due to public safety,” Ball said.
Environmental crews were also on-scene working to remove flammable materials from the roadway.
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